Sweden earmarks €430,000 to support Belarus’ political prisoners

May 21, Pozirk. Sweden will allocate about €430,000 for the international fund supporting Belarusian political prisoners, the Parłamiencki Kanał Telegram channel reports, citing Johan Forssell, Sweden’s minister for international development cooperation.
Forssell made the planned announcement at the 2024 Stockholm Conference on Belarus, pledging support to its democratic aspirations.
In late April, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced the transfer of €850,000 to the fund, set up by Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja and administered in cooperation with the Norwegian foreign ministry.
Belarusian initiatives that help political prisoners are in charge of the fund, providing medical and psychological help, rehabilitation and funding opportunities to former political prisoners and families of people who suffered from politically-motivated persecution in Belarus.
Cichanoŭskaja came up with the fund’s idea after jailed Belarusian human rights champion Aleś Bialacki was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.
As of May 21, human rights defenders identified at least 1,374 political prisoners but the real number is considerably higher because many cases go undocumented. Opposition sources estimate the number of political prisoners at around 5,000.
Opposition leader calls for support of political prisoners on solidarity day
- PoliticsLithuanian FM outrage by “extremist” label for European Humanities UniversityThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus’ foreign minister meets with Kazakh president in AstanaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsEuropean Humanities University supports radical, destructive groups, official saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Politics, SecurityUkraine recognizes services of Belarusian troopersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Society
- Politics, SocietyLong queues reported at Belarusian-Polish borderThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyResettled people allowed to visit graveyards in contaminated area without permitsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka reaffirms interest in cooperating with IraqThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- PoliticsActivists decry extremist designations to rights groups as crime against humanityThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁatuška says Orbán government granted EU visas to Belarusian security officialsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja asks Canada to back ICC probe into Łukašenka and his officialsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOpposition politician urges Magyar to restore Hungary’s ICC membershipThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyLithuania intercepts two rafts with smuggled Belarusian cigarettesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsReprisals: two women convicted of extremismThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyProduction of animal feeds, supplements to be limited to authorized companiesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja to address Canadian MPsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsPolitical activist Biełavus transferred to Mahiloŭ prisonThe material is available only to POZIRK+

